Well-drilling apparatus



Patented Dec. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1 52? PATENT oFFwE;

CLARENCE L. sKINNEE, oEooMPToN, CALIFORNIA, AssIGNoE E TWELVE AND oNE- HALF, PER GENT TO HUBER'I BAR ETT, or sA QUENTIN, CALIFORNIA, AND TWELVE AND ONE-HALEPER CENT TO HENRY LY'BEcK, oE 'ALAMEDA, CALIFOR- NIA.

Application filed 1111154,

2 This invention relates to improvements in well drilling apparatus and' has particular reference to means' for preventn'i'g the loss be withdrawn frointhe well even though the same has been broken at a point within the Well.

Another object of this invention is to produce a device of this character which is simple in construction and one which will not interfere with the usual drilhng operation.

A still further object is to provide means whereby the ends of a cable will be automatically locked to'each other When the successive sections of drill pipe are secured together.

Other objects and advantages Wlll be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings formrng a part of thisv specification, and in wh ch like numerals are employed to deslgnate l1ke parts throughout the same,

Figure I is arfragmentary vert cal cross section of a drill pipe having my lnvention applied thereto, and I Figure II is a fragmentary detail view showing the connecting element in open posit-ion. 1 p

In the drilling of deep wells it often occurs that the drill pipe will become broken. 7

This may'be caused from several reasons, such as the drill sticking and the drill pipe twisting off, or it may be due to a flaw in the pipe or in the threads connectmg the different sections of pipe. When a well pipe breaks, it is often very diflicult to withdraw the pipe and, consequently, much time is lost in the drilling operation.

It also often occurs that it is impossible to withdraw all of the apparatus from the well, with a result that the well already drilled may be a total loss. 'It is to overcome these difficulties that I have perfected my apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a.

preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 5 and 6 designate two drill plpe sections which are joined together as by a WELL-DRILLING APPARATUS.

1926. Serial Nb.- 113,764.

thread 7. At the bottoni of one of thesec- 1 tions 6 is provided a bit a which threadedliy engages the section 6 as by a'thread 9, i

The bit has secured thereto a bolt 11 which is provided witha head 12 which is engaged by a swivel 13 securedlto the lower end-of a cable 14. This cable passes upwardly through each of the sections a'ndat thejoi'ning of eac'hof the sections a connection, is made; One of these connections is shown in the upper portion of Figure I, where it will be noted that the cable 14 is provided with a swivel head 16, engaging a head 17 carried upon a bolt 18. This bolt has pivoted thereto clam-shell jaws 19 and 21.

These clam-shell jaws are provided with cam surfaces 22 and23, respectively and each having a socket as shown at 24 formed therein. These sockets are adapted to receive a ball 26 which is securedto the end of the next above rope section 27. In order to prevent these rope sections from excessive vertical movement with respect to the pipe sections, I provide spiders as shown 21228 and 29, which spiders contact expanding rings '81 and 82, respectively. 7

The result of this construction is that when a section of pipe is within the well, as for'instance the section 6, and it is desired to secure another section to this first mentioned section, the pipe is clamped and held prior to the joining of another section; At this time the clam-shells 19 and 21, are moved to the open position as shown in Figure II. The new section of pipe, as for instance that illustrated at 5, is then brought above the section 6 and moved downwardly thereagainst so that the threads of the section 5 engage the threads of the section 6. This will bring the ball 26 at a point between the open jaws of the clamshell.

The threading action of joining the two sections of pipe to each other will cause the two halves of the clam-shell to close together, due to the fact that the interior bore of the'section 5 acts upon the cam surfaces 22 and 23 and will close the jaws to the po sition shown in Figure I.

Should a break occur at any point in the drill pipe, it will be observed that the cable between the two sections ofpipe where the break occurs will prevent the two broken sections of pipe from separating and, there fore, upon lifting the drill the entire apparatus will be readily withdrmvn from the hole being bored.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a simple arrangement for accomplishing all of the objects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of: the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l 1. In a well drilling apparatus a pluraL ity of drill pipes secured one above the other and having a drill secured to the lower extremity of said pipes, a sectional cable extending through said drill pipes and cable connecting means secured to each end of said sectional cable and including caln surfaces on one oi. said connecting means whereby the ends of said sectional cable are joined. i

2.111 a well drilling apparatus of the character described, a plurality of drill pipe sections adapted to be secured one to the other, a sectional cable supported in each of said sections at a point adjacent each end thereof, a ball secured upon one end of each of saidcable sections, a plurality of clamshell jaws secured to the opposite end of each ofsaid cables, and means formed on said clam-shelljaws for causing said jaws to engage said ball of the next adjacent cable section When said pipe sections are secured. one to the other. i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE L. SKINNER. 

